When the warm days of summer turn to distant memories, it’s easy to get lost in the bleak, wet weeks which stretch out ahead of us. The nights draw in and the mornings grow dimmer until we ache for the long, bright days of June like our fingers and toes ache for the warmth of a fire. It feels as though the natural heat of the sun simply can’t reach far enough, leaving us lost as autumn bleeds into winter and we forget there will be a spring.

As rain cascades from thick clouds of gloom, we yearn for an escape.

The weight of winter is no new phenomenon, and under a blanket of snow in the forests of ancient Finland, people searched for this escape. In the slopes of hills, they dug small caves, filled them with stones heated with fire and covered the opening with pelts and fleece. Sat snugly between the cold and the dark, the first saunas were born.

It was the work of thousands of years which brought us the defiant, restful refuges of löyly that we see today. Contemporary saunas seem worlds apart from those early renditions, but their status as a peaceful escape from the cold has endured and evolved to gift us respite from the stresses of modern life - and here, in Dorset, The Saltwater Sauna brings traditional Nordic wellness right to our shores.

In the winter months, our beaches are unrecognisable from the bustling, bright belts of gold enjoyed by thousands through bank holidays and heatwaves. Towels sat metres apart become scarce as the leaves change. Ice creams slurped by the masses turn to flasks of hot chocolate sipped by the few, and cooling dips and paddles become reserved for only the bravest of cold water swimmers.

For years, The Saltwater Sauna has rested, enduringly, on Sandbanks beach. Planks of cedar stand strong against the sea winds, insulated with sheep’s wool. Stepping inside feels like entering another world, one where warmth soothes you inside and out, and from which you can gaze out across the sands and the water to look upon a British winter with an entirely new perspective.

The steamy luxury you can experience in The Saltwater Sauna at Sandbanks has now arrived at Avon Beach near Christchurch in the form of two Nordic saunas and two thoughtfully designed changing rooms. Located a stone’s throw from the Noisy Lobster, you can enjoy delicious food and drinks to satisfy the appetite you’ll have built with a refreshing dip in the sea after your soothing sauna.

There’s no better way to escape the dreariness of winter than with quiet conversation set against the muffled goings on of the great outdoors. The Saltwater Sauna seeks to connect you with nature as you, yourself, form connections with your fellow sauna-goers and experience the benefits of contrast therapy through heat exposure and cold immersion. And for every session, they offset the use of wood to fire up the sauna by planting a tree.

Whether you’re a sauna fanatic or it’s your first time, The Saltwater Sauna provides a welcoming and inclusive environment, designed to redefine social experiences. Guided rituals led by their Sauna Master, Jane Witt, take you through the elements of Air, Water, Fire, and Earth to maximise the sauna’s health and wellbeing effects. This includes salt inhalations and a scrub to cleanse and detoxify, plus steam aromatherapy infusions, thermal leaf whisking, and a honey moisturising mask to nourish, rejuvenate, and tone your skin. You’re in good hands with Jane, who is the UK’s first Thermalist instructor - she was awarded the ‘Best Sauna Practitioner’ at the British Sauna Awards.

The Saltwater Sauna on Avon Beach is now open, with bookings available up to 4 weeks in advance.

The team are also looking forward to their upcoming Nordic Retreat in Helsinki, in February 2025. Here, you’ll be able to visit authentic bathhouses and saunas, enjoy some local Finnish cuisine, and experience ice sea immersions - all led by their expert team, which includes their co-founder, native Finn, Arlene; Ali, their Retreats Manager and yoga teacher; Jane, their expert Sauna Master; and Sam, The Saltwater Sauna’s co-founder and director. The retreat is open to anybody who wishes to experience the beauty of Finnish sauna culture for themselves in the very country that brought saunas to the rest of the world.

To find out more about The
Saltwater Sauna, their Nordic Retreat and their new sauna on Avon Beach, or to book your place, visit their website:

thesaltwatersauna.com
@thesaltwatersauna

Finding Warmth in Winter

Chase the Sun

From the Ground Up